Slow down. Look up.

Stay grounded in the clouds.

Jul 20, 2024

Layers of clouds in the sky: top dark storm clouds. streaking layers of orange, coral, and yellow clouds until the horizon with a single tree silhouetted on the horizon — Cloud Layers © Kathryn LeRoy

Hello friend,

Can you imagine a world without clouds—perpetual blueness devoid of patterns and colors?

Nothing but blue sky — Cloudless © Kathryn LeRoy

I’ve been collecting clouds all my life. I recall lying in the grass staring at puffs and streaks, billowing mounds of white, creating shapes that only I could see.

I formed the habit of staring into the sky as a child. If I was sad, I looked up. If I was happy, I gazed. I never fully understood this obsession until it became my sanctuary for calming my mind and spirit.

I peak at the sky first thing every morning scanning the horizon for the sun’s rays as they pierce through the darkness. Even if I can’t go outside, windows become my best friend giving me a glimpse of nature at its best.

This week I discovered a term for an activity that seems as natural as breathing—cloudspotting. Of course, there is an app for that. CloudSpotter will support your sky exploration, and the Cloud Appreciation Society will link you to like-minded enthusiasts who look up, photograph, or otherwise ground themselves in the clouds.

Society conspires to keep us in a constant state of fear, productivity, and busyness. You are wasting time if you aren’t doing something every minute to accomplish some goal. Goals are good.

Dark storm clouds with a lightning bolt reaching down and a swath of orange from the setting sun on the horizon — Storms © Kathryn LeRoy

Becoming slaves to the digital onslaught encompassing us daily, and the belief there is never time for the NOW does not serve us well. Taking a few moments to get lost in the sky has potential health benefits beyond slowing down—breathing.

Mental health improves by reducing stress, increasing a sense of calmness, and lifting our mood. Physically, cloud gazing takes us outdoors increasing vitamin D levels necessary for a healthy immune system. Blood flow increases when we can slow down and relax. Try cloud-watching before going to bed to improve sleep.

What I previously considered a quirk of character contributes to my sense of peace, optimism, and hope.

If you live with your head in the clouds every now and then, it helps you keep your feet on the ground.
—Gavin Pretor-Pinney

Fluffy cumulus clouds with a sea of wild grass in the bottom of the frame where sky and land meet — Billows © Kathryn LeRoy

Join me in the clouds.

Whenever I feel blocked, I use the wonder of clouds to spark my creative muse.

Gavin Pretor-Pinney encourages looking up to find inspiration in his TED talk, cloudy with a chance of joy.

Songs for cloud watching: Cloudy by Simon & Garfunkel, Get Off of My Cloud by The Rolling Stones, and Cloudy Day by Tones And I

a sunrise with a long streak of clouds crisscrossing the sky with the sun shining through the branches of a tree — Crisscrossing the Sunrise © Kathryn LeRoy

“Clouds, they make a painting out of the sky.”
—Marty Rubin

“Clouds are not something to moan about. Far from it. They are, in fact, the most diverse, evocative, poetic aspect of nature.”
—Gavin Pretor-Pinney

Clouds at sunset reflecting in the lake water with pine tree branches across the top of the scene — Sunset Sky © Kathryn LeRoy

If you would like to read more from me, visit my website. I’ll be there waiting for you.

With gratitude,

Kathryn

I always welcome your thoughts, so, please leave a comment or click the little heart.

Slow down. Look up.

Stay grounded in the clouds.

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